As Colorado lawmakers prepare for hard budget choices in the 2012 session, House Republicans are urging the state to reinstate an asset test for Medicaid recipients. Their argument comes despite the fact that the new federal health care law bars states from adding asset tests and despite prior experience in Colorado and elsewhere that such tests aren't worth the time or money. A...

I agree with asset tests. The wealthy should pay more taxes based on assets. Perhaps larger estate taxes and higher income tax to pay for these needed programs for the less fortunate. Interesting that Mr. McNulty lives in Highlands Ranch and is doing very well for himself.Perhaps he needs to trickle down some of his wealth and stop looking for ways to damage the old and poor!

Acusage wrote:I agree with asset tests. The wealthy should pay more taxes based on assets. Perhaps larger estate taxes and higher income tax to pay for these needed programs for the less fortunate. Interesting that Mr. McNulty lives in Highlands Ranch and is doing very well for himself.Perhaps he needs to trickle down some of his wealth and stop looking for ways to damage the old and poor!

Exactly so, and exactly what the Occupiers want - an end to the domination of the 99% by the 1% and an end to the savage class war that the rich are waging against the rest of us.

Let McNulty try to live on the income of one who qualifies for Medicaid for a year and then get back to us.

Knowing the state would qualify for the money, the department built the $26 million into its fiscal 2012-13 budget, meaning that if it still had an asset test, Medicaid would have cost another $26 million.

Another article by the Post that never begs the question, "Where's the money coming from?" The assumption is that it is free money, coming from the revenue of the US government, when, in fact, it is generated and offered by an irresponsible government in denial. Keep selling those Treasuries (getting loans from China and Japan) and pump the IOUs called dollars into the system.

Public debt has increased by 67 percent over the last three years, and too many Americans refuse even to see it as a problem. For most of us, $16.4 trillion has no real meaning, any more than $17.9 trillion or $28.3 trillion or $147.8 bazillion. It doesn't even have much meaning for the guys spending the dough: Look into the eyes of Barack Obama or Harry Reid or Barney Frank, and you realize that, even as they're borrowing all this money, they have no serious intention of paying any of it back. That's to say, there is no politically plausible scenario under which the 16.4 trillion is reduced to 13.7 trillion, and then 7.9 trillion, and eventually 173 dollars and 48 cents. At the deepest levels within our governing structures, we are committed to living beyond our means on a scale no civilization has ever done. Mark Steyn

His latest piece in the National Review should be required reading for every adult American, and especially those blindly driving the bus to the cliff of our bankruptcy. I can't help but believe this is within the knowledge of and is the goal of our "leaders."

I can see means testing for Medicaid and even the Senior Homestead Exemption, but asset testing is just a proven waste of time and money. But then, legislators don't seem to have a problem wasting taxpayer's money on ideology. All it does is cause people hide their assets by putting them in another's name. Somewhat like hiding your income in offshore accounts. We've had three years of poor economy and McNutty would like to take away the last major asset people have, which was probably bought in economic good times. And how do you get a job without a car and phone? Hard assets don't feed you or pay the medical bills. What a schmuck.

You have brains in your head.You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.- Dr. Suess

Seems to me that it wouldn't hurt to set some standard, as to who is eligible...and assets is a good start... But there are always those that their prime thought in life is "how to work the system."...and they are magnificent at doing it!

Medicaid has been abused by many, in the past....it looks like with the rise in numbers using it....more have found a way to abuse it...sad... I've seen college grads use it....I've seen women living with a boyfriend, producing children and claiming they are a single mother, using it....

Where are the poor anymore....I've seen working poor that should be eligible....but, a lot of those that refuse to work, though, that are healthy using it...sad, isn't it?

There is a whole huge crop of lazy people in the USA, anymore...that want a hand out for just being alive...sad, isn't it?

when are the republicans going to stop calling social security programs entitlements?leave us retirees alone. used be social security wasn't taxed neither were unemployment benefits. it is always easier to rob from those who can't fight back. that playing field is changing because of the internet and the AARP. now we can mobilize and vote these morons out. check out retirements and compensation paid to congressmen talk about entitlements maybe there is a good place to cut out some pork.

zug-zug wrote:when are the republicans going to stop calling social security programs entitlements?leave us retirees alone. used be social security wasn't taxed neither were unemployment benefits. it is always easier to rob from those who can't fight back. that playing field is changing because of the internet and the AARP. now we can mobilize and vote these morons out. check out retirements and compensation paid to congressmen talk about entitlements maybe there is a good place to cut out some pork.

Ummmmmmm...it is the Democrats calling them entitlements....not Republicans... Yes, SS is not an entitlement, nor is Medicare...we all pay into it, even after we retire!

AARP is an arm of the Democrat Party, didn't you know that either?? LOL

windbourne wrote:Agreed. But if the neo-cons are being honest, they will add one in for SS and Medicare as well. But, they will not.

SS and Medicare are not entitlement programs like Medicaid.....All of the working people (appaarently you are not one?) pay into SS and Medicare....even after they retire, if they are still working....and a retiree continues to pay into Medicare (starting at $100/month) depending on the financial situation....so they are NOT entitlement programs like Obama thinks...sad, sad, sad!

It's a long-standing tradition on January 1st each year that the local news media run stories about the first baby born on New Year's Day. Now with our ever-increasing dependence on government, we can also look forward to celebrating the first baby enrolled on Medicaid.

Medicaid is not a core function of government. Medicaid rolls have exploded thanks to Democrat policies. Meanwhile spending on essential services (particularly roads) gets reduced. An asset test is a reasonable idea for government benefits. An asset test is a major component of student financial aid eligibility. Why would Democrats pass a ridiculous federal mandate that asset tests cannot be applied to government benefits?

The argument that Colorado should increase Medicaid rolls to receive federal dollars is bogus. Colorado must make difficult budget choices focusing on core government services. Colorado must reject federal mandates to balance its budget. Obamacare will bury the state budget if legislators do not reject the federal mandates.

Government spending is wildly unsustainable. The era of free government money is over but Democrats in Washington have not got the message. The real deficit in 2011 was $4.2 T not $1.3 T. The debt to GDP ratio has now crossed 100% heading to unthinkable levels (1,000%+) unless major, structural reforms are made. External forces are waiting to apply the painful medicine that voters will not take. Free money wins elections but economic gravity will eventually occur.

The accrual based deficit ($4.2T) in the report is optimistic because of two key assumptions in Obamacare that the GAO finds highly questionable. More realistic assumptions add $12.4 T to the long term debt. Who cares about an additional $10T+ in unfunded liabilities when idealogy and elections are at stake?

windbourne wrote:Agreed. But if the neo-cons are being honest, they will add one in for SS and Medicare as well. But, they will not.

SS and Medicare are not entitlement programs like Medicaid.....All of the working people (apparently you are not one?) ...

Of course he works. If you've participated on this blog for any length of time, then surely you've noticed how he posts Monday through Friday, from eight o'clock in the morning until five or later in the evening. As a matter of fact, the people on this blog with the best ideas, measured in terms of economic practicality, are the ones who post throughout each workday while the rest of us losers are wasting our time with something called a career.